Lucky
by fantastic-geronimo-allonsy
Summary: River gets an unexpected surprise and needs to talk to The Doctor, but how will he react to the news?
1. How do I tell him?

**_This is the first chapter in a new series. I am an extremeley new fan-fiction writer so I apologise if this isn't brilliant.  
Obviously I don't own Doctor Who or any of the character or though I do wish that I did._**

_*4 Weeks*_

_How? This is impossible!_

River paced across her living room, deep in thought, breathing rapidly.

_How do I tell him?_

* * *

River sat on the edge of her bathtub, hands shaking. She was late, but there could be hundreds of reasons for that. Teaching at Luna had been stressing her out to no end recently. 2 minutes was up. She glanced down.

"POSITIVE"

The word stared up at her from the offending stick as her hearts thundered in her chest. She thought back to 4 weeks ago. The night she spent with _him_ at Asgard.

* * *

River continued to pace back and forth from the window to the door opposite. She thought they were incompatible. He was fully Time-Lord. She was only part Time-Lord; more human that Time-Lord in fact. She had wanted a child ever since she was one herself; she doubted _he _felt the same way though.

_How on Earth am I supposed to tell him this?_

_I'm just going to have to do it. Just tell him. There's no other way._

River halted and headed for the draws underneath the window. She pulled out her vortex manipulator and strapped it to her wrist; typing in co-ordinates.

* * *

The Doctor whizzed around the brightly coloured control panel, his feet sliding on the glass floor below. He pulled the screen round from his right; checking the environment outside the blue doors. Just as he was about to explore his new destination, a blinding blue light flared across the control room as River Song appeared in a haze of smoke.

"Hello Sweetie."

She flashed her trademark smile in order to regain some confidence. This was going to be tough and she had no idea how he would react to her news. If she looked worried, he didn't notice.

"River, where are we this time?"

The Doctor sauntered round the console towards his wife, giving her a peck on the lips as he got nearer.

"Picnic at Asgard."

His eyes widened as he recalled that particular date.

"Ah yes. Well. Anyway, the last time we met was Manhattan although that was a very long time ago."

River's eyes softened at the mention of Manhattan. She missed her parents more than she cared to let on. She could really use their help right about now.

_That was such a long time ago._

"So what brings you here today, Professor Song?"

He moved back towards the console, checked dials and fiddling with levers.

"I actually came to talk to you about something. Something important."

_Here we go_.

She felt her stomach churn at the thought of telling him.

"Oh? And what might that be, wife?"

He listened intently; sensing the urgency in her voice. She moved close to him, steadying his hands on controls, and took a deep breath. She went to speak but no words left her mouth. She couldn't bring herself to tell him.

"Well that's very interesting, River."

The Doctor smirked at his sarcasm as he moved towards the other side of the console, his back to his wife.

"I'm pregnant."

His whole body stilled as the words fell involuntarily from her lips. His forehead creased as he whipped round to face her. He stared at her, disbelieving. The Doctor shook his head and he sprinted up the steps, into the depths of the TARDIS.

The moment wasn't quite how River had envisioned it.

**_Don't forget to review and again I apologise if this isn't brilliant, I'm still getting used to writing. If you have any tips, leave them in the comments._**


	2. Where is he?

*4 Weeks*

River stood motionless in the console room, afraid to move.

_He ran. He just ran away._

She had no idea what to do now. She expected a big reaction but not one quite like that. The TARDIS groaned in sympathy for her child.

"I just need to give him some time alone." River said aloud to no one in particular and made her way toward the TARDIS kitchen.

* * *

2 hours later River found herself back in the control room, talking to the TARDIS again.

"Where is he?" She begged. "I need to talk to him about this."

So far the TARDIS had been reluctant to share the information; protecting her thief.

"Please!" River shouted.

Taking pity on her, the screen whirred to life and showed a picture of the TARDIS library.

"Thank you."

She set off in search of the library which had undoubtedly been moved since the last time she was here. If she was honest, she was slightly scared of what she would find when she arrived at her intended destination.

The library lights were dimmed when River entered. She glanced around the vast room searching for any sign of the Time Lord. Through the book shelves she saw the outline of her husband huddled in a corner with a book. She took a deep breath and moved around the bookcases, towards the figure.

The Doctor's head shot up as he heard her approach. They stared at one another, neither daring to move or make a sound.

"Sweetie.." River began.

"No, I can't do this." The words tumbled from his mouth. "I can't be a father again."

River sat on the floor beside The Doctor and took the book from his hands, placing it on the floor in front of them both. She gently took his hand.

"Why not?"

He shook his head, not wanting to share the information.

"Please tell me, Sweetie."

He sighed and gave in.

"I'll mess it up. I messed it up once and I don't want to mess it up again. Not with another child. Everyone who comes near me ends up getting hurt in some way. I don't want to be responsible for another person's suffering, let alone my own child's."

River pulled The Doctor's hand towards her lips and softly kissed it, attempting to sooth him. She could understand why he felt this way.

"Oh Doctor. I know you think you'll mess it up, but I promise you that it won't happen. Not again. This time it's different. I'm scared too. I keep thinking that I won't be able to protect our baby. There are hundreds of people out there that would kill just to get a glimpse of our child. I keep thinking about The Silence and Madame Kovarian. I don't want what happened to me to happen to my baby as well."

The Doctor pulled his wife into his arms, realising they were both terrified.

"I want a chance to prove that I am completely void of The Silence's training. I want to prove that I am no longer a merciless killer and that I'm capable of raising and loving a child properly, like they couldn't." Her voice was muffled in his shoulder.

The Doctors features softened at his wife's confession. She was just as terrified as he was. It just meant that he could be just as determined as she was.

"I want to prove that I don't mess everything up. I promise River from right now, I will protect you and our child from everyone. The Silence, the Daleks, the Cybermen. Everyone."

River snuggled into his embrace, for once believing his words. The couple sat together on the floor of the library, ready to begin the next unexpected chapter of their lives together.


	3. Ultrasound

*5 weeks*

River had stayed with The Doctor on the TARDIS for the last week. Not only because she wanted to keep her baby safe but to comfort her husband when he frequently doubted his capability of being a father again. It had happened less and less as the days went by, but it came back to bite him every now and then.

River sat peacefully at the kitchen table nursing a cup of now cold tea whilst The Doctor spun around the kitchen attempting to fry bacon. From the looks of things, he wasn't doing too well.

"I was thinking about getting an Ultrasound done." River piped up.

The Doctor turned and sat opposite her at the table, listening to his wife.

"I suppose. We could do to the Sisters of the Infinite Schism. Best hospital in the universe. It's a bit early though."

River slowly nodded.

"I know. I just want to see it. Put my mind to rest I guess."

"Okay." The Doctor waited for her to say more.

"I'm just worried about people finding out about the baby. People who might want to hurt it."

He rested his hand on top off her in an attempt to comfort her, something that had been the other way around for the past week.

"I doubt the hospital would release the information to anyone who didn't truly need to know about it."

He gently stroked the back of her hand with his thumb.

"I suppose. Do you think we could go now?"

"Yeah, why not? Let me finish cooking the bacon first though."

He moved from the chair and back to the oven where smoke was slowly rising from the grill.

"It's probably burned now, my love."

* * *

"River Song?"

Her name sounded across the waiting room. Both she and The Doctor moved from their chairs towards the cat-like lady waiting outside the office.

"That's me."

River mentioned as the woman gestured for them to take a seat inside the room.

"Hello, I'm Nurse Campbell."

The couple nodded and shook her hand.

"Would I be right in thinking that you're here for an Ultrasound?"

River nodded eager to see her baby.

"Well, let's do it then. Could you hop up on the table and the back and lift your shirt?" Nurse Campbell smiled and walked to the back of the room.

River sat on the silver table and lifted her shirt.

"This might be a tad cold, Mrs Song."

The Doctor smiled at the name and held River's had and the gel was wiped over his wife's exposed stomach. Shivers shot up River's spine at the temperature of the blue substance. Nurse Campbell lifted the probe to her abdomen and slowly moved it across in search of the baby. After what felt like ages as small blob appeared in the middle of the ultrasound screen.

"That's your baby. It looks as if your about 5 weeks along." Nurse Campbell smiled again.

"She's beautiful." River smiled back.

"She? You think the baby is a girl, Riv?" The Doctor rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand.

"I don't know. I just think it's better than 'it'." Tears started to cloud her vision at the sight of her new baby.

"Would you like me to print a picture of your baby?"

"Yes please." The couple said in unison.

Nurse Campbell removed the probe and handed River a cloth to wipe the gel away with.

"I'll be right back."

She exited the room and left the couple to talk. Silence followed. Neither knew what to say. Eventually River spoke up.

"I keep wishing my parents were here. To see their grandchild."

The Doctor moved next to River and brought her into his arms.

"I'm sorry." He said simply.

"It wasn't your fault, my love. Mother wanted to go. You and I both know she belongs with Rory."

"I know. I feel guilty because they were your parents. They should be here for this."

They moved apart as Nurse Campbell returned with a picture of their child and handed it to The Doctor.

"Here you go. If it's possible I'd like to see you in 5 weeks time. We should be able to get a better look at the baby then. Any questions?"

"No, I don't think so. Thank you so much."

River couldn't stop staring at the image in her husband's hands.

"All this will remain private, won't it?" The Doctor directed his question at Nurse Campbell.

"Yes of course. Hospital policy."

He nodded, happy with her answer. River moved from the table and thanked the nurse as she walked towards the door. For the first time in a week The Doctor felt content and reassured.


	4. Don't you dare do this

_**Here is the next chapter. A relatively short one this time. This is set just after the last chapter. Enjoy!**_

*5 weeks*

The TARDIS door swung open as its owners returned hand-in-hand from their appointment. River let go of The Doctor's hand and waltzed towards the console and started flipping switches.

"Where to now, sweetie?"

A frown appeared on The Doctor's face.

"You're not going anywhere in your condition."

River stopped flipping switches and turned towards her husband, anger on her face.

"Don't you dare do this. You can't trap me in The TARDIS for 9 months. That's not fair."

"I just want you to be safe. You and the baby."

He across the console room towards her and enveloped her in a hug. River's anger dissipated as she wrapped her arms around her husband's middle, attempting to reassure him.

"We will be, my love. I'll make you a deal. We can still travel to places as long as you are there and it isn't anywhere dangerous?" Her voice was muffled in his shoulder.

The Doctor sighed and gave in; his arm rubbing River's back.

"Okay, but only if I'm there and it's not dangerous." He repeated the terms.

The couple pulled apart but remained in one another's arms.

"Just remember, sweetie, I'm as scared as you are. We both want our child to be safe and protected."

The Doctor smiled and pulled her in for a passionate kiss. The two stumbled further into The TARDIS still wrapped around one another.

_**Just to be clear, there won't be any smut in this series. Again any tips or reviews, in the comments please.**_


	5. Slightly Nauseous

**Sorry for the wait, but here is the next chapter. I'm grateful for the response that this story has gotten so far and I hope you enjoy.  
**

*6 Weeks*

Less than a week later, the two Time Lords stood in the TARDIS kitchen preparing breakfast, both in their pyjamas. The Doctor busied himself making coffees and cereal. River sat at the table feeling slightly nauseous. Today was the first day she experienced morning sickness and it was getting worse by the minute.

"I'm not sure I want any breakfast, my love." River groaned; her hand on her stomach.

The Doctor stopped his actions and turned towards her. He moved to the seat next to hers.

"Are you sure? It might help."

"I don't think I could keep it down."

He wrapped his arms around River and gently stroked her back. She relaxed into his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him. The couple sat like that for a while before pulling apart. The Doctor moved back to the food and finished preparing his breakfast. River rested her head on the table suddenly feeling dizzy. The past two weeks had been a rollercoaster for the pair of them, though especially for River.

The Doctor sat in his chair again and started to eat his breakfast. He glanced over at his wife resting on the table. River screwed up her face at the smell of the coffee.

"Oh God." She groaned as she pushed the chair back and ran to the nearest bathroom.

The Doctor dropped his spoon and rushed after her. He found her leaning over the toilet and breathing heavily. He grabbed a hair tie from the sink counter and proceeded to tie her curls in place. His hand soothingly rubbed her back as she chucked up last night's dinner.

Five minutes later River was only dry heaving; her stomach now empty.

"My head is killing." She raised a hand to her forehead.

"Headache?" She nodded and moaned. "Maybe you should go back to bed."

Normally, River would protest and insist that she was fine, but on this particular occasion she didn't have the energy. The Doctor helped her out of the bathroom and towards their bedroom down the hall. She led on the bed as he pulled the crimson covers up around her and tucked her in. He placed a quick kiss to her temple. River buried herself under the cover in the foetal position.

"I'll be in the kitchen if you need me."

The Time Lord turned off the light and pulled the door closed. He went back to the kitchen to finish his food.

After washing up and clearing away any mess, he went to the control room to fix any lose wires under the console. He attempted to reattach broken circuits or parts, but his mind kept drifting back to his wife and their child. He thought about the events of the past two weeks and then about the future. Eventually he gave up and went back to their bedroom.

The Doctor gently pushed the door open and peaked inside the room. He saw a bundle softly breathing under the covers. He removed his shoes and tweed jacket and carefully climbed in the other side, trying not to wake River. He moved closer and wrapped his arms around her mid-section and buried his face in her curls. He could honestly say that there was no other place he would rather be than right next to his wife.

**As usual any tips or suggestions in the comments. Thank you for reading.**


	6. River? What's wrong?

**Okay another chapter. I returned to school today so updates may be a day or so late. I promise not to abandon the story though. As always I'm so happy with the comments and response that I have gotten so far. I appreciate it a lot and thank you all for reading this far. Anyway enough of my babbling and enjoy the next chapter.**

*7 weeks*

River sat comfortably daydreaming on the pilot's seat in the control room as The Doctor whizzed clockwise around the console, playing with dials and switches. His feet slipped several times on the glass floor and he nearly tumbled to the floor at least twice. The last few days had been spent travelling to various planets usually to shop, for River's benefit of course. Retail therapy seemed to make her a lot happier recently especially since she was experiencing horrific morning sickness. It took a while to convince The Doctor to let her outside of the TARDIS doors despite their conversation a few weeks ago, but he eventually caved. River slowly eased out of her vacant state and watched her husband continue to fiddle with the controls.

"So where to now, River?" The Doctor broke the silence, bringing the screen around from his right.

"Wherever you'd like, sweetie."

She was quite content to follow The Doctor around now since the last few days had been dedicated to her needs and desires. Neither of them really knew where they wanted to go. Most of the places they wanted to visit were too dangerous for River to travel to in her condition.

An anxious expression crowded River's face as she brought a hand to her midsection. The Doctor had picked up on these small details.

"River? What's wrong?"

He moved away from the console and towards the chairs she was slumped in. Standing in front of her waiting for an answer, he put a hand on her shoulder as if it would encourage her to talk.

"I don't know. I've had very little pains in my stomach for a few minutes now. At first they were hardly noticeable but they've gotten slightly worse. Nothing painful, just worrying."

The Doctor immediately sat in the chair next to his wife.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Well I didn't think they meant anything because like I said, they were hardly noticeable. It's only now that I started to worry."

Suddenly a hundred possibilities and outcomes flooded through her mind as she reached for The Doctor's hand. He took her hand and gently rubbed the back of it with his thumb.

"We'll have to go to The Sisters to get you looked at. Okay?"

River stared at him for a while then gave a small nod.

"I'm scared." She admitted.

"I know. So am I." The Doctor pulled her to his chest and wrapped his arms around her.

* * *

15 minutes later River sat on the same silver table as before, in a hospital gown. The Doctor sat on a chair to her right as they waited for Nurse Campbell. When they arrived, he had gone straight to the main desk and asked to see Nurse Campbell urgently then explained his wife's situation. They had been rushed into the same room as before and told that she would be along in a minute and that River should change into the rather boring gown. What felt like an eternity, to the couple was probably only around 3 minutes. Nurse Campbell walked swiftly into the room clutching a clipboard, shut the door and moved next to River.

"Hello again. It's nice to see you again although I wish it could be for a better reason."

She pulled a stool up next to them and sat down; looking at a slip of paper on her clipboard.

"When did these aches start?"

She clicked a pen out from her blue standard nurse's uniform.

"About 20 minutes ago. I didn't really notice them at first then they became more apparent."

River's voice was shaky; she struggled to get the words to leave her mouth. The Doctor saw this and grabbed her hand. Nurse Campbell wrote notes on the paper then rose off of the stool.

"Okay, we're going to do another ultrasound which should tell us whether or not there is a problem. This time we'll do an internal ultrasound rather than an external one. If you could sit back."

River moved back and lifted her legs onto the bench as well. Nurse Campbell pulled the ultrasound machine next to the bench and readied the probe. The Doctor stroked the back of River's hand with his thumb. The next 30 seconds were uncomfortable for both sides of the couple but in different ways. After a while the small blob appeared on the monitor although it was slightly more developed than when they last saw it.

"Okay that's your baby. Give me a second."

Nurse Campbell meticulously stared at the screen looking for anything that could indicate that something might be wrong with the tiny Time Lord. It took her a long time which terrified River. She was adamant that there was a problem with her baby.

"I can't see anything that would suggest there is a problem and there isn't any bleeding so I'd say your fine."

Both parents released a breath they hadn't realised they'd been holding. The Doctor rested his forehead against his wife's for a few seconds before pulling apart to listen to the nurse.

"I think what you're experiencing is contractions of the uterus caused by the growth of the foetus which pushes against the uterus wall. Nothing unusual, but it goes without saying if it gets worse or is accompanied by bleeding then come back straight away."

River nodded and slid off of the table. The Doctor stood up and shook Nurse Campbells hand.

"Thank you so much."

"It's no problem. I'll leave you to get changed." She smiled and exited the room.

River wrapped her arms around her husband and breathed another sigh of relief. He returned the gesture and kissed her forehead.

"I'm so relived." River breathed into his chest.

"Me too. Anyway we should get back to the TARDIS." They moved away from one another.

All feelings of fear and dread had been removed and replaced with relief and elation. Neither of them had ever been so glad in their lives. Minutes later the couple returned happy to their home.

**Hope this was okay and I'm sorry if I scared anyone momentarily. As usual any tips/suggestions in the comments and thank you again.**


	7. Shut up!

**Okay sorry for the wait but here's the next chapter. A fairly short one and enjoy!**

*8 Weeks*

River lifted herself off of the cold tile floor from her place next to the toilet. Yet another half hour of throwing up. Her morning sickness today was the worst it had been in the past two weeks, this was the fourth time it had happened this afternoon alone. She grabbed her toothbrush and proceeded to scrub her mouth of the awful taste.

The Doctor swung on the swing underneath the console fiddling with various wires. Sparks flew across the room just as River marched into the control room. She stomped down towards The Doctor.

"What are you doing?" She almost shouted.

"I'm fiddling with wires, try to do an upgrade."

"Why are you always under the console?"

The Doctor turned towards her, slightly confused and almost definitely scared at his wife's rage. He had no idea where this was coming from.

"I just spent another half an hour throwing up and where were you?"

"I didn't know. You didn't call me."

"I shouldn't have to!"

"If you don't call me or I'm not in the same room as you how am I supposed to know?"

River paused and glared at him.

"Shut up!"

She marched up the two flights of stairs and into the depths of the TARDIS. The Doctor sat silently in the swing thinking over their argument. He knew this was River's hormones and she couldn't help it but he couldn't help but feel slightly hurt. Of course they bicker a lot but normally it's over nothing and is resolved in no time at all. He moved off of the swing and followed her path to try and comfort his wife.

The Doctor moved through the various rooms of the TARDIS searching for a pregnant, hormonal human-Time Lord hybrid. He eventually found her curled up under the covers in their bedroom. Soft sobs could be heard from the woman shaped lump under the duvet. He crept towards the bed and slowly sat down on the edge.

"River? Are you alright?"

"No! Go away!" The lump continued to sob and sniff.

He got up and moved towards the door. The best thing to do at the moment was to leave her be, he thought. River pushed the cover away from her face and watched her husband walk towards the door.

"I'm sorry." She sniffed.

The Doctor turned to see River's messy hair and bright red puffy eyes. He retraced his steps and sat on the edge of the bed for a second time. River shifted closer to him and wrapped her arms around his torso. He returned the hug and gently kissed her temple.

"It's okay."

"No it's not. I've been horrible to you all day and you've just taken it."

"You're hormonal. It's to be expected."

He smoothed his hand up and down her back attempting to calm her.

"How about we go and choose a nice coffee shop and get some drinks?"

River nodded, unwrapped her arms from her husband and climbed off of the bed. The Doctor stood and took her hand. The couple walked together towards the console room, yet another argument solved.

**As usual thank you for your continued support and tips and suggestions are welcome. I've looked at your comments and suggestions so far and have taken them into consideration and will most likely address them in later chapters.**


	8. River? River? It's me Wake up

**Okay, sorry this is so late. School just started again and i'm being loaded with homework. Enough of the excuses though. Here is another quicker chapter for you all. Enjoy!**

*9 Weeks*

River's hormones hadn't calmed down at all over the past week and neither had her morning sickness. The only time she could get away from the problems was when she slept although this quickly changed.

The Doctor led against the plumped pillows absorbed in a book. The small table lamp was all that illuminated the large bedroom. River lay asleep underneath the thick covers. The Doctor had been reading for a while when his mind started to drift. His eyes moved to the sleeping form of his wife. Memories of the past few weeks came to mind. The morning sickness, the hormones, but also the scans and the happiness.

River stirred in her sleep. She rolled over; eyebrows furrowed. Her breathing quickened and she continued to move around beneath the covers.

The Doctor put down his book and shifted closer to her. She started to cry out in her sleep.

"Not my baby!"

"No please!"

"Help!"

The Doctor put a hand on a back and attempted to slowly wake her.

"River? River? It's me. Wake up."

Her eyes shot open and she sat bolt upright in the bed. Her breathing was rapid and her eyes were wide. She stared at The Doctor for a split second the enveloped him in a huge hug. He rubbed his hands gently up and down her back to calm her quick breathing.

"Shh. It's okay."

Eventually she calmed and sat back against the headboard.

"Are you okay? Do you want to talk about it?"

River nodded.

"I'm fine, but I don't really want to talk about it. Not tonight."

"Okay."

The Doctor smiled and kissed her forehead. The pair moved beneath the covers. The Doctor wrapped his arms around her middle and splayed his hands across her abdomen. They led together until they both fell asleep only minutes later.

**Hope you enjoyed. I will certainly try to post the next chapter quicker than I did this time. I have a few ideas, some including your tips and suggestions. This is as much your story as it is mine so any tips and suggetsions are welcome. Also who saw Chasing Shadows last night?**


	9. Sweetie! Let me finish my tea first

**Sorry for the wait again. Bit of a writers block, spent ages trying to write this one. Going to start addressing some of your suggestions in the following chapters now. Enjoy!**

*10 Weeks*

River stood in front of the mirror and examined her newly forming bump. She smoothed her hand across the curve and smiled to herself. The Doctor walked into the bedroom carrying two cups of freshly made tea. He put the cups on the bedside table and moved behind River. He wrapped his arms around her growing middle and gently kissed her cheek. River stood in his embrace for a while before she moved away and grabbed one of the cups of tea.

"I was thinking about going back for another scan now that it has been 10 weeks." The Doctor sat on the edge of the bed and took the second cup of tea.

River sat her cup back on the bedside table.

"That's a good idea. We'll get to see how the baby is doing."

"Okay, let's go then" The Doctor jumped excitedly off of the bed and strode towards the door.

"Sweetie! Let me finish my tea first."

"Oh yeah right."

Nurse Campbell entered the room and moved towards the table where River sat twiddling her thumbs. The Doctor sat on the stood beside her as usual.

"Nice to see you again." Nurse Campbell shook the couples hands then pulled up a stool.

"Any changes from our lasting meeting?"

"Only that I've been having trouble sleeping and I've started to develop a bump."

Nurse Campbell noted these down on a clipboard then pulled the ultrasound machine towards the table.

"Okay, as usual could you lie back and lift up your shirt."

River led back and stared at the ceiling. She felt the cool gel on her stomach and let out a small gasp. The nurse moved the probe across her abdomen before a slightly-larger-than-before blob appeared on the small screen.

"Your baby seems to be developing at a normal rate for a Time Lord. Are you aware of the differences between Time Lord and human pregnancies?"

River turned towards the Doctor.

"Differences?"

"It's been a long time since I've had children, but aren't Time Lord pregnancies slightly shorter?"

Nurse Campbell nodded her head and handed a wipe to River who removed the gel.

"32 weeks to be exact which is 8 months instead of 9 which means you have about 22 weeks left."

River sat up on the table and listened to the nurse. It had been centuries since The Doctor had had children so most of the information was new to him.

"Morning sickness, insomnia and cravings tend to be slightly worse as well."

River glared at her husband who shrunk into his chair.

"Would you like a few copies of the scan? For friends or family?"

The Doctor nodded.

"Right, I'll print some off. How many would you like?"

"4 please."

"Okay, I'll be right back."

Nurse Campbell removed herself from the room.

"4?" River questioned.

"Yes. I had an idea."

River raised her eyebrows.

"I thought we could go and see Amy and Rory. Show them our baby."

"Oh sweetie, you know we can't go to see them. They're stuck in Manhattan and we can't take The TARDIS there."

"I was going to say we should visit them before they get sent back in time."

"Isn't that dangerous? You know, with timelines and stuff?"

"Of course it is." He grinned madly at his wife.

**Thanks for the support as always. Tips and suggestions are welcome.**


	10. Domesticity

**Okay I'm not very happy with this chapter but I've being trying to write it for awhile so I've posted it anyway. Sorry for the wait.**

*10 weeks*

The ringing of the doorbell echoed down the small hallway. Two silhouetted figures stood the other side of the heavy stain-glassed door.

"Who is it?" A Scottish voice boomed from inside the house.

The tall ginger yanked open the door and froze. River and The Doctor stood on the doorstep staring at her.

"Who was it, Amy?"

Rory appeared in the hallway and stared at his daughter and son-in-law. River was the first to break the silence.

"Hello."

Amy and Rory moved closer to the pair. Amy wrapped her arms around her daughter.

"It's been awhile."

She pulled away and her eyes drifted to the small bump between the pair of them.

"Are you..?"

River nodded slightly. Amy wrapped her arms around her daughter for the second time that day. The Doctor stood deadly still; slightly worried about Rory's reaction. So far no emotion had crossed his face. He'd half expected to be neutered on the spot with his roman sword.

The women pulled apart and made their way towards the kitchen; leaving Rory and The Doctor in the hallway. Rory stared emotionless at his son-in-law. He tried to process the events of the last minute.

"She's pregnant?"

The Doctor nodded before attempting to move towards the kitchen only to be stopped by Rory. He couldn't figure out the look on his face. He wasn't sure if he should run and hide or not.

"I'm not angry. I just want to know that my daughter and grandchild are going to be safe."

"I promise I'll do everything in my power to keep them safe, Rory."

"That's all I need."

Rory smiled at The Doctor before moving towards the kitchen. The Doctor breathed a sigh of relief then followed the Ponds. Amy and River sat at the table nursing cups of tea and chatting between themselves. Amy and Rory had taken a break from The TARDIS for a while to focus on their lives. The last thing they expected was for their daughter to turn up on their doorstep expecting a baby.

"So how far along are you?" Amy thoroughly questioned her daughter on every aspect of her pregnancy.

"When did you find out?"

"Do you know the gender?"

"Are you going to find out?"

"Have you got any names?"

"Have you had any cravings?"

The Doctor accepted a cup of tea from Rory and sat down next to his wife. He figured the next few hours would be extremely long whilst he waited for his in-laws to cease interrogating their daughter. For now at least he resigned to simply just listening and enjoying this short piece of domesticity whilst he could.

**The next chapter will continue on from here and Amy and Rory will keep appearing every now and then. As always tips and suggestions are welcome.**


	11. Breakfast!

**There is literally no excuse for why I haven't updated, but I do apologise. The next chapter should be up later today to make up for the long wait you guys have endured. Once again sorry and enjoy.**

*10 weeks*

"Breakfast!" Amy's voice bounced through the house. The smell of eggs and bacon wafted up the stairs. River was the first to appear in her pyjamas and sit in one of the four places set at the table. Amy slid an egg and two slices of bacon onto the plate in front of her then continued to fill the other plates.

"Did you sleep well?" Amy enquired.

"Not really."

"How come?"

"I felt ill most of the night and just couldn't sleep."

Amy gave her daughter a sympathetic smile and passed her a glass of orange juice. Rory was the next to enter the kitchen looking dishevelled. He sat opposite his daughter and mumbled a sleepy greeting. All three of the ponds had begun to enjoy their breakfast as the Doctor stumbled down the stairs; his hair sticking out at all angles. He dropped into the chair next to his wife and grabbed a knife and fork. The Doctor never really had many domestic moments so he sought to enjoy them as much as possible.

"Did you sleep well, Doctor?" Amy asked her son-in-law the same question.

"Pretty well. Thank you, pond."

River glared at her husband.

"Yeah, you were sleeping peacefully whilst I had my head over toilet." She mumbled.

"You could have woken me up"

"Anyway," Rory attempted to stop their bickering. "I was wondering what your plans were for later in the pregnancy and after the baby is born."

To be honest neither of the couple had given it must thought since most days had been taken up by morning sickness and hormones.

"We're not really sure." River answered.

"So, you have no maternity clothes or nursery furniture?"

"Dad, I'm only 10 weeks. Something could still happen to the baby."

"Actually around 10 weeks in Time Lord Pregnancies the risk of miscarriage is greatly reduced just like at the 12 week mark in human pregnancies."

"Okay good. I was thinking about doing a bit of shopping. Maybe not for nursery furniture and baby clothes quite yet, but how about maternity wear?" Rory questioned.

"You are 10 weeks. Your bump is going to start getting much bigger soon."

"Thanks, Dad." River mumbled sarcastically.

"I wasn't being insulting, Mels."

"Rory the Roman is right, Riv. We should go shopping today."

Rory looked annoyed at the use of his old nickname.

"There aren't many shops in Leadworth so we'll have to drive half an hour to Gloucester." Amy cut in.

"Sounds good to me." River went back to her bacon and egg breakfast.

The four continued to eat and appreciate their day of domesticity; for once they got the chance to be a proper family.

**Like I said, the next chapter should be up later, so you won't have to wait long. Tips and suggestions welcome as always.**


	12. Shopping

**Okay, here is that second chapter I promised you today. Hopefully my next update will be this weekend and again sorry for the wait. Enjoy this apology chapter =)**

*10 weeks*

The four ponds clambered out of Rory's car where they parked in front of the big shopping arcade. The sun almost scorched the couples as it floated higher into the sky. They made their way through the large revolving doors and into the arcade full of a variety of shops. The first shop they headed towards had a huge baby department which the Doctor was drawn to despite that fact they'd said they weren't going to buy anything for the baby quite yet. Amy manoeuvred around the racks of clothing and picked out various items to show River. The Doctor had disappeared to who knows where and Rory decided that if he helped find River some clothes it would only end in disaster, so wandered around the rest of the shop.

"What about this?" Amy produced a floral maxi dress.

"Definitely not." Amy nodded and pulled out a pair of pink jeans.

"Again, no way." Amy sighed and grabbed a yellow sweater.

"No."

"Is there anything you like?"

"I don't know. It all looks so horrible. Are there any plain normal coloured trousers or t-shirts?"

"I'll go look." Amy set off in search of more clothes.

River sat down and waited for her mother to return. She was exhausted and they'd barely been out the house an hour. Admittedly she probably did need to find some new clothes to wear as her bump had started to grow a little more and her jeans were starting to feel a little too snug. She wondered where her husband had run off to and began to get slightly worried. She knew the past few weeks had completely changed both of them and it was taking its toll on them. Neither of them was used to spending so much time together and if she was honest she could do with some time away. Her thoughts were interrupted when Amy came back with what looked like a much better selection of clothing.

"What about this?" Amy showed River a plain grey top.

"Not bad. Much better than what you showed me before." Amy looked quite proud of herself.

"I thought it could go with these trousers." She produced a nice pair of black maternity trouser which actually looked really good.

"Yes to them."

"I'm glad we're actually getting somewhere." Amy sighed.

* * *

Almost an hour later, they'd paid for the large pile of items they'd eventually found and placed them in Rory's car. The two women went back into the store in search of their husbands. Rory was sifting through the stacks of action movies when they found him. The Doctor was literally nowhere to be seen.

"What sort of trouble has he gotten himself into?" River half expected to see her husband being dragged out the store by security guards for accidently knocking over something.

When they found him, he was filling a large trolley full of toys and essentials for their baby.

"Sweetie? What is all of this?" River stared in confusion whilst her parents giggled to themselves behind her.

"River! This is stuff our baby will need, see? Teddies, bottles, dummies and even a little onesie."

River stared at the mountain of items that were almost spilling out of the trolley.

"I thought we were going to wait to buy this stuff."

"I know and I was only going to get a few things so I could feel as if I was helping, but I got a bit carried away."

"Only a bit?" Rory cut in.

The Doctor scuffed his feet against the floor and fumbled with his hands. He looked like a little puppy who had been scolded.

"I'll put it all back." He turned towards the trolley.

"Sweetie, no. It's fine. It's a nice gesture. I just don't think we need quite so much."

River sighed and wrapped her husband in a hug. They broke apart and the four ponds moved towards the trolley, attempting to reduce the number of toys and items it held. They managed to reduce it to a small amount of stuffed animals, a few bottles, a couple of dummies, some nappies and only a few items of clothing.

"Whilst we're here and buying this stuff you might as well look at some furniture for the nursery." Rory suggested.

Another hour later they had ordered a cot, a Moses basket, a changing table, a rocking chair and a pram to be delivered to Amy and Rory's house the next week. The Ponds and the Doctor made their way towards a small sandwich shop for lunch. It had been a busy day and River was exhausted and her feet hurt. The Doctor wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulder and kissed her cheek as they sat in the window of the sandwich shop. Now all they had to do was wait for the furniture to arrive.

**As always comments, tips and suggestions are always welcome. The next chapter will see the Doctor and River decorating the nursery.**


	13. I'm thinking white walls

**Here is the next chapter I promised would be up this weekend. Enjoy!**

*11 weeks*

The Doctor and River stood in the middle of a room in the TARDIS. The walls were blank and the room was empty.

"I'm thinking white walls." River said.

"I was thinking blue. TARDIS blue." The Doctor attempted to persuade his wife.

"I don't know. I think it'll be easier to change or alter if the walls are white."

"Yeah, but blue, River. TARDIS blue."

"Or maybe yellow." River ignored her husband's pleading.

"Definitely not yellow. Blue."

River moved towards the rows of various paint pots that were lined up against the wall on the far side of the room. She browsed the rainbow of colours searching for a white. She grabbed a paint pot and turned towards her husband to find him sat in the middle of the room sulking. River grabbed a second paint pot and placed them both in front of him.

"Tell you what, sweetie. Why don't we choose both?"

"White and blue?" The Doctor looked up from his spot on the floor.

"Yeah. Two walls white and two walls blue?"

The Doctor immediately brightened and grabbed the pot of blue paint. River smiled and took the pot of white paint.

"Okay, so you can paint the far wall and the wall with the door in blue and I'll do the other two."

"Sounds good to me."

An hour later, the paint was dry and both The Doctor and River sat in the middle of the room enjoying a lunch of sandwiches and admiring their work.

"The crib could go against the far wall and the rocking chair could go in the corner next to it." River suggested.

"Then we could put the changing table next to the door and a box of toys in the middle of the room."

"In the middle? Won't that look a bit odd?"

"It can go against the wall then."

"No in the middle is fine." River smiled at her husband and enveloped him in a brief hug. "Thanks for all your help today, sweetie."

"You're welcome. I'm glad we've got this sorted."

"Me too. We just need to actually get the furniture in here now."

"I'll get started in a minute."

"What about me?"

The Doctor sighed.

"Heavy lifting and all, it's probably best that you just relax."

"I could help. I just wouldn't do any lifting. I could put some of the stuff together or put the toys in a box."

This time it was River pleading to her husband. The Doctor was slightly worried and still not completely over the scare they had a couple of weeks ago.

"Fine, just promise me you'll stop if I ask."

"Promise." River gave her husband another brief hug.

The Doctor jumped up and ran out the room. River started to clear away their plates and placed them in the TARDIS kitchen. When she came back, the Doctor had already moved the boxes full of their flat-packed furniture into the room and had started to open them. River went out and came back with the Moses basket and placed it in the corner of the room.

"Sweetie, are you sure you know what you're doing?"

The Doctor was staring at the instructions in his hand, trying to make sense of them.

"Yeah, I know what I'm doing."

River sighed and took the sheet away then placed it back in his hands the right way around.

"Ah." The Doctor started fitting pieces of the crib together.

River started unpacking the changing table box and fitting pieces together. At least the Doctor had allowed her to help in some form or another.

A couple of hours later, all the furniture had been put together and everything was in place.

"It's perfect." River leaned against the Doctor who'd wrapped his arm around her middle.

"It is." He leaned in a pecked his wife on the lips.

River deepened the kiss and wrapped her arms around the Doctor's neck. The two broke apart and stared at one another. The Doctor took his wives hand and pulled her towards the door.

**The next chapter will see the Doctor and River visit another planet. Tips and suggestions welcome as usual.**


	14. Cristallum

**Here is the next chapter of Lucky. Enjoy!**

*12 weeks*

The TARDIS door swung open and two figures stepped out into the vast cavern. Light filtered through a hole in the ceiling and bounced off the stone walls and lit up the surrounding space. Various coloured Mosses climbed the walls and spread across the cave floor. Majority of the cave was home to a huge sparkling waterfall that dove into a large pool of turquoise water.

River gasped as her eyes flit around the cavern.

"It's beautiful."

The Doctor and River spent a few seconds marvelling at the beauty of the sight in front of them.

"Where are we?" River whispered.

"We're in the Cataracta Caves on Cristallum. Quite a few galaxies away from Earth. One of the few planets in its solar system and is home to hundreds of caves just like this one. Loads of crystal water pools."

River ran her hand over the rainbow of mosses that trailed down the wall. They hadn't travelled far from Earth in the past few weeks. This was the first proper outing they'd had in the TARDIS is awhile. River was glad to get out of the TARDIS every now and then to keep herself sane. As much as she loved the Old Girl, being cooped up inside every day, not being able to travel, was starting to annoy her. Even worse, lately The Doctor had begun to grow restless. His need to travel was increasing and looking after his pregnant wife wasn't what he was used to. The Doctor needed to get out and explore planets and save, as well as sometimes accidently destroy, civilizations. They loved each other but weren't used to spending so much time in close proximity to one another. Coming to Cristallum was the perfect break for the both of them.

"Thank you." River moved closer to The Doctor.

"What for?" His face was a mixture of surprise and confusion.

"Bringing me here. It was starting to get a bit too much being caged in all day."

The Doctor moved behind her wife and wrapped his arms around her middle, placing his hands on her small bump. River leant back against him and closed her eyes, enjoying the moment.

"Welcome. If I'm honest I was starting to get agitated as well."

"I noticed."

The Doctor breathed in her scent. She smelt of tea and apple grass.

"I don't want you to think that it's because I'm getting bored of you, because I'm not. I just-"

"I know, sweetie."

River opened her eyes and turned in his arms.

"We're both a bit on edge. We really needed this trip, my love."

The Doctor nodded and pecked his wife on the lips. He grabbed her hand and moved towards the pool. The Doctor removed his tweed jacket as well as his socks and boots. River slipped her sandals off and dipped her foot in the water. It was surprisingly warm. Now that she really looked, River saw wisps of steam rising from the ripples.

"When I said pool, I meant hot spring. All the pools on Cristallum are fed from one spring. This cave is quite a way from the source and so the water has had chance to cool." The Doctor explained as he rolled up his trousers.

"It's a nice surprise. I was thinking it was going to be freezing cold."

The couple stepped in ankle-deep. The Doctor crouched to inspect the top of the water. Miniature crystals floated on the top of the pool.

"River, look. The sparkling effect is created by mini crystal. How cool-?"

Droplets of water and mini gems collided with The Doctors face, knocking him off balance. River laughed as her husband struggled to get back onto his feet. His bottom half was soaked as he clambered onto the stone floor.

"Oi! What was that for?"

"I felt like it."

The Doctor glared at his wife for a few seconds before bursting into laughter. River joined him on the cave floor and placed his tweed jacket underneath them. They led down on the floor in one another's embrace. River gently ran her hands through The Doctor's hair whilst he drew Gallifreyan symbols of love on her thigh.

"Thank you again, sweetie."

River leant forwards and drew her husband in for a kiss. The Doctor returned the kiss and pulled her closer to him. The two broke apart when water started to lap at their feet.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. The spring pumps out more water at certain times of the day than others. Almost like the tides on Earth. The caves, in general, fill up in about 5 minutes."

River glared at him.

"You only thought to tell me this now?"

"Sorry, but I think we should go now."

The grabbed their belongings and sprinted back to The TARDIS.

River entered the console room in her pyjamas and a big fluffy dressing gown. She moved down the steps and walked towards The Doctor who stood fiddling with the controls.

"I know I keep saying it, but thank you for today. As short lived as it was, I enjoyed it."

The Doctor smiled and wrapped one arm around her shoulders. River pecked him on the cheek.

"I'm exhausted. I'm going to bed. You coming?"

"Yeah, give me 5 minutes."

River smiled.

"Okay. Night."

"Good night."

She kissed him on the cheek again and ascended the stairs to find their room. The Doctor stared after his wife whilst playing with the controls. He thought back to their earlier conversation. He really didn't want her to think that he was getting bored of her and her pregnancy hormones. She said she had noticed that he'd become agitated. What if she took it the wrong way?

The Doctor shrugged it off and climbed the stairs to follow his wife. He'd think of some way to show her that he really did enjoy having her around.

**I'm extremely busy for the next week or so. I'm not sure when I'll get the next chapter up, but I hope it won't be too long. The next chapter will consist of The Doctor tending to his wife's cravings. As always, comment with tips and suggestions.**


	15. Rum and Raisin

**It's been a small wait so I thought I'd upload two chapters tonight. The second one will be up a few minutes after this one so look out for it. Enjoy!**

*13 Weeks*

River sat at a small table just outside of the café that she and The Doctor had stopped at. He'd gone inside to retrieve the ice cream she'd been craving for the past couple of hours. The gentle breeze ruffled a few of her curls and whistled through the trees. River stared at her ankles under the table. They'd swollen to, what looked like, double their usual size. Admittedly she was on her feet a lot and wasn't resting quite as much as she should be.

The Doctor stepped out of the café with two ice cream cones and sat opposite the curly haired woman.

"Chocolate for the lucky lady across the table." He handed over one of the two treats.

"Thank you. What did you get?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Rum and Raisin. Want a bit?"

She nodded and he offered his ice cream.

"Mmm. Lovely."

The couple sat in a comfortable silence and watched various people pass by continuing with their domestic tasks. For once, The Doctor had chosen a normal café on Earth instead of a galactic store on a distant planet that offered over a 1000 different flavours.

"You know, I really enjoy this." River spoke up after a few minutes.

"Enjoy what?"

"This. The domesticity. I guess it's because I've never really had it before."

The Doctor smiled at his wife and took her hand across the table. His thumb traced Gallifreyan patterns across the back. He continued to eat his ice cream; content to hold her hand for a while. It took him a few minutes to realise River's pessimistic expression.

"What?"

River turned in his direction.

"What?" She echoed.

"Why the sad expression?" He leaned closer to the table.

"No reason. This is just my thinking face."

The Doctor smirked at the obvious lie. He thought back to the past couple of weeks to try and understand what she could be upset by. He came up with nothing. He was probably being stupid.

"Please."

River stared at his pleading face and eventually gave in.

"It's just…"

The Doctor raised an eyebrow and waited.

"You don't seem like you want me around. You don't seem to enjoy spending time with me."

"We spoke about this last week. You said you knew that I enjoyed being around you."

River finished off her ice cream and placed the cone in the bin an arm's length away.

"I know what I said and I honestly thought that as well."

"Then why has it changed?"

The Doctor also discarded his cone and took her other hand in his.

"This past week you've seemed to become more distant than usual. You speak less and even a couple of minutes ago when I spoke about the domesticity, you didn't say anything."

"I didn't think I needed to."

The Time Lord sighed and scooted his chair closer to River.

"We've both been a bit on edge, trust me I know. Yes I've become withdrawn, again, I know. I'm just not used to it. The normalness. Is that a word? Normalness. It should be a word."

"You're rambling." River pointed out.

"Yes, sorry." He paused. "Me being distant has nothing to do with you, honestly. Don't take it as me getting fed-up with you or bored. Please. I'm just getting used to the idea of settling down and having a family, again."

River smiled and moved to sit on his lap. They wrapped their arms around one another and River rested her head on his shoulder. Neither spoke for a couple of seconds.

"I'm sorry. Sorry, I made you think these things." The Doctor bowed his head.

"It's not your fault, my love."

She leant in and kissed him passionately on the lips. They smiled at one another then both rose from the chair. The Doctor held his wife's hand and led her away from the small, quiet café and towards the TARDIS.

**Hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. In the next chapter The Doctor and River will be getting a hello from a special little someone. As always comments, tips and suggestions welcome.**


	16. It moved

**Here is the second chapter of the night. Be sure to check out the last one and enjoy this one.**

*14 Weeks*

River and The Doctor sat curled in front of the TV in the TARDIS living room. The Doctor gently stroked River's hair and her now large stomach as she leant against him. They'd spent most of the day relaxing on the TARDIS as River didn't feel her best. Her ankles were swollen and she had a headache then had gotten progressively worse throughout the day. The Doctor spent the morning making pancakes and giving foot massages. Neither of them was really watching the Television. They were just enjoying one another's company. The Doctor had gotten slightly better at the whole domestic thing over the past week and he gradually became less withdrawn.

River suddenly gasped and stared at her stomach. The Doctor whipped his head around and stared wide-eyed at her.

"River? Is something wrong?"

She continued to stare and didn't reply.

"River! What? What is it?"

River gently placed a hand on the top of her large bump.

"It moved."

The Doctor broke into a huge grin.

"It moved?"

He placed a hand on her stomach exactly where she had. He felt a tiny foot kick his hand.

"I felt it. I feel _our_ baby."

River pulled her husband into her embrace. When they broke apart, tears started to form in her eyes.

"Are you crying?" The Doctor placed a hand on her shoulder for support.

She nodded and leant against him as he wrapped her in a warm hug. The two of them sat on the sofa enjoying the feeling of their baby saying hello to them for the first time.

**Woo. I quite liked this chapter. Next chapter will include Amy and Rory, but not The Doctor and River. Thanks to crookshanks11 who provided the prompt and inspiration for the next chapter. As always comments, tips and suggestions are welcome.**


	17. 4:52am

**Here is the bonus chapter I promised and again thank you to crookshanks11 for the suggestion.**

Bonus Chapter

The Digital clock on Rory's bedside table read '4:52am'; only a couple of hours before he was due to get up for work. He turned over in the bed to find an empty space opposite him. The covers had been pushed back and the pink dressing gown was missing from the back of the door. He climbed out of the bed and grabbed his own dressing gown. Creeping to the top of the stairs, he saw a light shining into the hallway from the kitchen. The stairs creaked under his weight as he descended into the hallway to find the source of the light.

Amy sat staring out of the patio doors into the darkness. Her hair was tangled and bags hung from her eyes.

"Amy?" A voice called from the shadows.

She turned towards the kitchen door as Rory appeared. He gave her a gentle smile which she didn't return. Instead, she turned once more towards the patio doors and continued to stare at nothing. Rory sighed and moved towards the kitchen counter to switch on the kettle. The pair stayed in complete silence as, he pulled out mugs and made cups of tea. Placing one cup in front of his wife, he sat down opposite her.

"I know what this is about." Rory spoke up after a couple of seconds.

Amy turned to look at him, a sceptical look on her face.

"I seriously doubt that you do."

"No, I do." Rory took one of her hands in his. "This happened years ago. You'd come down at some silly hour and sit staring at those patio doors for ages, just waiting. Now you're doing it again."

Amy started at him then turned to face the doors again. She was in no mood to talk about the past and bring up bad memories.

"I know you feel silly and selfish, but don't because I feel the same way too."

This caught her attention and she turned back to him.

"You're jealous of The Doctor and River because they're having a baby and you want your baby back. I know."

Tears started to form in Amy's eyes.

"I feel like I shouldn't have these feelings, Rory. I should be happy that they're happy, not waking up in the middle of the night feeling jealous. I don't know if I can do this."

Rory stood up and moved to the seat next to her, pulling her into a hug. She cried softly into his shoulder as he gently rubbed her back.

"These feelings are perfectly natural, I promise. I also know that eventually they'll fade just like they did before. Sure, they might come up every now and then, but that is fine."

"You feel the same way? I can't do this. I can't." Amy whispered into his dressing gown.

"Of course I do and of course you can. We'd both love to have our little Melody back, but we have River and soon we'll have a beautiful grandchild who will be just as amazing. Just remember who its parents are."

They broke apart and Amy gave him a watery smile.

"Thank you. Thank you so much."

Rory tucked a wild strand of hair behind her ear then took her hand.

"Let's go back to bed."

Amy nodded and followed her husband out the door and up the stairs. The cups of tea sat untouched on the kitchen table and the first glimmers of dawn touched the ground.

**The next chapter will be another check-up with the nurse, be prepared.**


	18. Signs and Symptoms

**Here is another chapter for you to enjoy! (4 in a week, that is pretty good for me)**

*14 Weeks*

The waiting room was empty apart from another couple chatting quietly between themselves. The hands on the clock ticked as The Doctor stared at them. He wasn't a fan of waiting and he wasn't a fan of quietness. River seemed content to flick through the various magazines and hum quietly to herself. He must have gotten up at least 3 times now to walk to the water cooler for a drink. He didn't actually need a drink; he just needed to walk around.

"Stop fidgeting." River whispered from behind a magazine.

"I can't." The Doctor whispered back.

River sighed.

"I'm sure you can. It won't be long now."

It was his turn to sigh. Luckily, it was no more than two minutes later that Nurse Campbell appeared at the door and called for them. They made their way into the small room once again.

"Have there been any changes since your last visit?"

Nurse Campbell stood in front of them with a clipboard.

"Apart from the weight gain and swelling, not really." River laughed as she sat on the metal table.

"The ankles tend to swell up a lot during pregnancy."

"I wish someone had told me about the hands and face swelling though." River laughed again.

Nurse Campbell raised her eyebrows.

"Your hands and face are swelling?"

"Yeah, didn't you notice?" The Doctor grinned.

River lightly hit her husband on the shoulder for his remark, but smiled anyway.

"Right, have you been having any headaches or vision problems?" Nurse Campbell started to write notes of her clipboard.

"Uh, I've had a couple of bad headaches but no vision problems. Not that I can tell anyway."

Nurse Campbell nodded then went to the cupboard to remove a device.

"I want to check your blood pressure quickly."

"Okay." River offered her arm, starting to worry.

The Doctor noticed River's concerned expression and grabbed her other hand, smiling at her.

Nurse Campbell's forehead creased as a worried look took hold on her face.

"What?" The Doctor asked.

Nurse Campbell shook her head.

"I'd like to do a urine test."

"Why?" River asked quickly.

"Just a precaution."

Neither River nor The Doctor looked convinced. Nurse Campbell handed River a sample pot and showed her to the bathroom. A couple of minutes later, River re-entered the room and handed over the pot.

"I'd now like to do an ultrasound, just to check on the baby as planned."

"What will you do with the sample?"

"Get it tested, nothing to worry about."

Again, neither of them looked convinced.

"Don't lie to us, please." River looked scared.

Nurse Campbell sighed and sat on a stool.

"You have particularly high blood pressure, swelling of the ankles, hands and feet as well as headaches. The sample is to test for protein."

"So?" The Doctor looked confused and rubbed River's back.

"You are showing many of the signs and symptoms of preeclampsia."

"What is preeclampsia?" River now looked terrified.

"No one is really sure, but it is thought to be caused by a problem with the placenta."

Tears started to form in River's eyes as she took deep breaths.

"How can it be treated?" The Doctor pulled River into a hug in an attempt to calm her.

"The only way to treat preeclampsia is to deliver the baby."

"What?" River started wide-eyed at the Nurse.

"Please don't worry; we don't know that this is what is happening yet. I'd like you to come back in a week when we'll have the results of the test."

"What if something happens in that week?" The Doctor rubbed River's back and kissed her forehead.

"As a precaution, I'd like you to rest as much as possible for the next week. Only until we get the results, then we'll go from there." Nurse Campbell smiled in an attempt to reassure the couple.

The tears had started to run down River's face by this point. She couldn't bear the thought of something going wrong now. They'd come so far.

"Like I said, we can't be certain yet." Nurse Campbell handed her a box of tissues with a sympathetic look.

The Doctor took a tissue and dabbed his wife's face.

"I'd still like to do an ultrasound though, if that's okay?"

River nodded, still shaky. The nurse pulled the machine closer as River leant back and pulled up her jumper. The gel felt colder than usual, but that was probably her mind playing tricks on her. The Doctor hadn't taken his eyes off of his wife's face, wanting to make sure she was okay.

"The baby is slightly smaller than expected, but that isn't a cause for concern at the moment so all is fine."

Nurse Campbell handed River a paper towel for the gel. River's hands were still shaky and she struggled to wipe the gel off.

"Here let me." The Doctor took over for her.

River appreciated the small gesture.

"Thank you, sweetie."

She almost regretted the travelling they'd done in the past week or so. Her brain was working overtime. What if this was her fault? Had the travelling caused this? Was it because the baby was mostly Gallifreyan? Negative thoughts ran through her head.

"I'd like to see you again, this time next week for the results of the test."

Nurse Campbell had put the ultrasound machine back in the corner and wrote down another appointment. River still seemed distracted as she started to climb off of the metal table. The Doctor helped her down and took her hand. She looked to him for reassurance and was met with a reassuring smile. He squeezed her hand for extra measure and mouthed a quick "I love you." River returned a watery smile.

"Thank you." The Doctor shook the nurse's hand and took the appointment slip.

The couple walked hand-in-hand back to The TARDIS.

River led in bed with a cup of tea; thinking about the events of the past day. The Doctor entered the room with his own cup and climbed in next to her. He could read her expression and knew exactly what she was thinking.

"We haven't got the results yet, you know."

He wrapped an arm around her.

"I know, but why would I have these symptoms?"

The Doctor shrugged.

"Maybe it's something else." He offered.

River stared wide-eyed at him.

"Sorry, shouldn't have said that."

He kissed her cheek.

"Don't think about it."

"I can't not think about how something might be wrong with our baby."

In all fairness, he hadn't stopped thinking about it either. They both desperately wanted everything to be okay.

"Considering we have a time machine, we could just get the results tomorrow."

River looked at her husband, nodded and smiled. The couple finished their drinks and fell asleep, wrapped around one another.

**The usual - tips, comments and suggestions welcome. Not sure when the next chapter will be up, but it will include the results of the test.**


	19. What do we do now?

**Another chapter as you all deserve it so much. Enjoy!**

*14 Weeks*

- FLASHBACK –

"I can't not think about how something might be wrong with our baby."

"Considering we have a time machine, we could just get the results tomorrow."

The Doctor and River were ushered into the hospital room for the second time in as many days. River plonked herself on the table, fearing the worst. The Doctor sat on a stool next to his wife and patiently waited. They waited patiently for the nurse to enter the room after she excused herself only a couple of second ago. Both were aware of the clock ticking away on the wall. They gave each other comforting smiles as they waited. Eventually the nurse entered the room, smiled at the couple and went to a draw. Nurse Campbell pulled out her clipboard, as usual, and pulled up a stool.

"Sorry about that. Anyway, I have good and bad news." She pulled a pen from her pocket.

"Okay." The Doctor took River's hand.

"The bad news is that you tested positive for preeclampsia."

River breathed heavily, tears filling her eyes already.

"The good news is that we caught it early, so hopefully it won't be as problematic."

"Hopefully? Is that all you can say?" River choked.

Nurse Campbell fell silent, unsure of what to say. The room fell silent except from River silently sobbing.

"What do we do now?" The Doctor stroked his wife's back.

"Well, like I said before. We can't treat it. In a couple of months we'll figure out when it is best to deliver the baby. I'd estimate around 28-30 weeks of pregnancy."

River calmed down as she listened to the information.

"For now just take it easy and we'll give you some medication to lower your blood pressure. I'd also like you to come back for a blood pressure test every 2 weeks."

The Doctor nodded and looked to River who sat in silence staring at the wall.

"Okay, thank you." He moved to shake her hand.

"You can collect the medication from the main desk."

He nodded again and tapped River on the shoulder.

"River."

She slid off the table, not saying a word. She walked straight past the nurse and out the door.

"Sorry." The Time-Lord apologised for his wife then followed her.

She wasn't in the waiting room so he walked out into the hallway. No sign of her. He strolled back to the TARDIS, looking in all directions. He entered his ship, but she was still nowhere to be seen.

"Old girl, is she in here?"

A groan emanated from the ship which told him River was somewhere on board. The Doctor guessed she would probably be in their bedroom. He trekked through the corridors until he found the dark-wood door. Seeing no sign of her in there, he decided to check the Library. Another lengthy trek through the TARDIS took him to a two large double doors covered in Gallifreyan writing. He tried the doors only to find them locked.

"River, are you in there?" He shouted through the wood.

"Leave me alone." Came a muffled shout.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!" This time the shout was louder, suggesting he was making her angry.

"Okay. I'll be in the console room if you need me."

He trudged away from the library and started back to the Console room. It was obvious she needed time alone to think and calm down. Obviously, they'd both been affected greatly by the news. The Doctor slumped down on one of the Console room chairs and put his head in his hands. He'd go back to his wife in a while to check on her. For now he'd wait.

**As always comments, tips and suggestions welcome!**


	20. Flashforward

**Sorry for the wait but I have two chapters for you tonight for two reasons. The fact that I haven't updated in awhile and also I have exams for the next two weeks. I may or may not be able to update until after, I'll see how busy I get but here is the first of two chapters.**

*15 Weeks*

Light shone through a crack in the door and illuminated the body that led beneath the covers. River sat up against the headboard and took the cup of tea from the bedside table. She sat alone in the bedroom, the same place she'd been for the past week. It was important that she rested although not moving for 7 days might be overdoing it a bit. She figured The Doctor was probably working on the console or running around simultaneously wrecking and saving civilisations. The tea was lukewarm from where it had been left for such a long time.

Even a week later, River found it hard to think about the preeclampsia and the danger her baby was in. Tears would form at the slightest mention of the hospital appointment. A shadow passed by the door, it must have been The Doctor attempting to discreetly check on her again. He always thought he was being quiet, thought being the operative word.

The baby started to gently move around again. River rested the palm of her hand on the top of her bump and smiled. It was strange to think that in as little as 4 months she'd be able to hold her child, if all went to plan.

Her mind drifted to the appointment; the baby, the nurse, the illness that was potentially fatal for her child. She placed the cup of tea back on the bedside table and sat up straight, attempting to push the memory away before the tears started to flow. She stared at the growing bump and imagined her life in 4 months' time.

She could see The Doctor and herself standing over the crib gazing at their newly born child who was fast asleep. Another image of them in the kitchen signing along to the radio whilst their baby giggled at them from a highchair. A final image of them all in the console room clapping as their child used the console to pull them up and take their first steps.

It all felt so close but also so far away. River needed to get through the next 4 months as quickly and as smoothly as possible. She had no idea what she would do if something went wrong. Would it create a gap between her and The Doctor or would it only bring them closer? River didn't even want to think about the possibility of any harm coming to her baby.

A string of curse words rang through the TARDIS corridors. Her clumsy husband must have hurt himself for the 8th time this week. She decided she'd had enough of sitting around being bored all day and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Pulling on her dressing gown, she stepped out into the corridor to find the source of the shouting.

**Next chapter up in a minute.**


	21. Burnt

**Here is the second chapter. This takes place at the same time as the previous one.  
**

*15 Weeks*

The Doctor sat under the TARDIS console in the swing whilst he inspected endless wires and cables. He'd recently checked on River who'd spent the past week in bed. He couldn't decide if it was because she was being careful or she was just upset. In the past week, he'd made her 11 cups of tea, 7 pieces of toast and 5 sandwiches and that wasn't the half of it. He'd tried his best to cheer her up since the appointment, but it didn't seem to be working so far.

He thought about bring Amy and Rory on-board to see her but that would probably upset her even more. She'd never want them to see her in such as state. He'd take her to visit them when she got better, _if_ she got better. He was aware that she'd suffered from depression before, but still wasn't sure if it he should call a professional about it.

The Doctor loved River more than anything. The last thing he wanted was for her to be hurt or upset. If he'd been paying attention to what he was doing, he'd have realised two wires were about to collide, just left of his hands.

"Ouch!"

A string of curse words erupted from his mouth as he blew desperately on his burnt hands. It was no use; he got up from the swing and jumped around under the console in pain. He must have continued like this for minutes.

"Sweetie?" River's voice floated from above the console.

The Doctor moved out from under the glass and climbed the steps, still blowing on his hands.

"Are you okay? What happened?" River looked very concerned.

"Two wires touched and sparked. Caught my hands."

River grabbed his wrist and dragged him up the stairs, further into the time machine. They eventually reached the kitchen and River turned on the cold tap for her husband.

"Thank you." He said gratefully. "What are you doing out of bed anyway?"

River shrugged.

"I got bored then I heard you yell."

The Doctor kept his hands under the stream of cool water for around a minute before removing them and turning off the tap. The couple sat down at the table.

"Are you okay, Riv?"

She looked at him for a while before answering.

"I don't know." Tears started to form in her eyes for the hundredth time that week.

The Doctor wrapped his arms around her again and kissed her forehead. The weight that sat on their shoulders slowly ebbed as they sat in the time machine entangled in one another's embrace.

**Again, not sure when the next one will be up due to exams but comments, tips and suggestions still welcome.**


	22. Names

**I know I said I had exams but I had a little spare time and I felt guilty for not updating so here is a short chapter for you all.**

*16 Weeks*

The TARDIS was almost silent. No engines, no electronics just the sound of gentle voices. The Doctor sat on the sofa with River's legs draped across his. She leant against the arm of the sofa softly stroking her stomach. River felt sufficiently relaxed after a week of lying around and drinking tea.

"Susan?" The Doctor offered up.

River screwed up her face and shook her head.

"Peri?"

Her reaction was the same as before.

"Martha?" He tried again.

"Why are they all names of people you've travelled with?" River raised her eyebrow.

"I just thought it would be very fitting."

River sighed.

"How about something normal. Lucy?" River offered her suggestion.

"Normal? Why normal?" The Doctor groaned.

River sighed again and mentally went through a list of names. Katy? No, normal. Laura? No. Amy? Definitely not, too confusing. Amber? Maybe. No.

"I can't think of anything. I like a lot of names I'm just not sure they have that special something."

"Me either. How about names for boys?" The Doctor gave up on thinking of a name for a girl.

This time it was his turn to go through a mental list. Ian? No, another person I travelled with. Rory? No, River would never allow it. David? No. Robert? No. Jack? NO.

"How about Leo?" River's voice broke his train of thought.

"Hmm. Maybe." The Doctor looked sceptical.

"That's a no then."

"Riv, I'm sure we'll find the perfect name when the baby is born. We still have weeks to think of one yet." He reached over and put his own hand on her stomach.

"I guess. I just don't feel very prepared." River placed her hand on top of her husbands.

"And you never will. That's called being a parent."

River smiled at her husband who returned the gesture. If all went well, they still had weeks to think of a name for their child. Until then they could enjoy the tranquillity of the domesticity they currently shared.

**The next few chapters are likely to be quite short due to exams. As usual tips, comments and suggestions welcome.**


End file.
